Murray and Morrissey defend their dealings with Wilkerson

John P. Kelly

Friday

Oct 31, 2008 at 12:01 AMOct 31, 2008 at 2:20 AM

Senate President Therese Murray and Sen. Michael Morrissey denied any involvement in backroom deal-making at the State House while the FBI expanded its investigation into an allegedly corrupt Boston state senator.

Forty-eight hours after the FBI arrested a Boston state senator on corruption charges, two powerful Senate colleagues from the South Shore defiantly denied engaging in shadowy backroom deal-making on Beacon Hill.

Senate President Therese Murray of Plymouth and Sen. Michael Morrissey of Quincy, both Democrats, have been subpoenaed for records, though they have not been accused of any wrongdoing. Their alleged roles in helping Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, D-Roxbury, fast-track a liquor license for a Roxbury nightclub are outlined in a 32-page affidavit.

“Do I look angry? Yes, I am very angry,” Murray told a gaggle of reporters outside the Senate chamber Thursday.

“We are all upset about the taint and the shadow of doubt cast upon the Senate and its members,” Murray said, adding that “any implication that myself or others have been involved in the alleged wrongful conduct or backroom deals is simply wrong.”

On Thursday night, Wilkerson said in a statement that it was unreasonable to ask her to step down immediately.

“A decision to leave this district without representation, even for 60 days, is one that cannot and should not be made in a matter of hours,” she said.

Before the vote, Morrissey emerged from a two-hour closed caucus and read a statement.

“First, neither I nor other members of the committee had any idea what Dianne Wilkerson was about,” Morrissey said. “Second, anything we did was by the book, and I’ll stand by those actions at any time.”

Morrissey, chairman of the Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, vowed full cooperation with authorities and said he had been advised against discussing particulars of the case.

“Finally, from what I have learned in the past 48 hours, realizing that we have been misled and lied to, I’ve asked my colleagues to take immediate steps to expel her from the Senate.”

Murray and Morrissey are referred to in portions of the affidavit that center on Wilkerson’s alleged maneuverings to obtain a beer-and-wine license for a nightclub. Such licenses can fetch $300,000 on the open market, the affidavit states.

After Murray called Boston City Council President Maureen Feeney at Wilkerson’s behest in August 2007, a meeting that would include Morrissey and the city’s licensing board chairman was scheduled, the FBI says. At the meeting, a deal was cut to push through legislation at Boston City Hall then the State House to add 40 liquor licenses in Boston, with one guaranteed to go to the nightclub. On Thursday, Murray denied being at the meeting.

As a result, Wilkerson relented in alleged efforts to hold up pay raises for license board members and a piece of legislation worth $500,000 to the city of Boston.

What Wilkerson did not know was that the nightclub operator was working as a federal informant. During an 18-month corruption probe, Wilkerson allegedly bragged to undercover agents of “arm twisting” and “knee cracking” and said, “I pushed this envelope farther than it’s ever been pushed before.”

Wilkerson got Morrissey to write a home-rule petition for the licenses and to stall the liquor-license bill to give the nightclub owner time to lease the Roxbury bar, the affidavit states.

“I told the committee that … I’ll let them know when I want them to take a vote,” Wilkerson is quoted as saying in the affidavit.

Morrissey said he did nothing wrong. The bill in question eventually failed.

“I was asked to attend a meeting – no more, no less,” he said.

The Senate stripped Wilkerson of her position as chairwoman of the Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight along with several committee assignments, and it directed the Ethics Committee to open its own investigation.

In a letter to Murray on Thursday morning, Wilkerson said she would respect the will of the Senate. Whether she would continue her re-election campaign as she vowed to do Wednesday was unclear.

“I apologize to you and the members for being drawn in to the madness that has become my life,” she wrote, adding, “I can say that there is much more to the story than you have been told.”

Sen. Brian Joyce, D-Milton, described a gut reaction of anger and betrayal among lawmakers.

“People in the Senate are disgusted,” Joyce said.

He said steps to expel Wilkerson would be taken if she did not resign.

“Enough is enough,” he said.

In the Senate chamber there was another vacant seat. In June, Sen. J. James Marzilli Jr. was arrested on charges he tried to grope a woman in downtown Lowell before harassing another woman and fleeing police. Other women have since come forward accusing sexual harassment and Marzilli, a Democrat, has sought psychiatric help.

In her statement to the press, Murray said as senate president she must “lead the Senate through difficult times and ... make sure we redouble our efforts for the people of the commonwealth.”

“That’s what I intend to do,” she said.

John P. Kelly may be reached at jkelly@ledger.com.

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